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Calling all ghosts, goblins and ghouls

Digital Filmmaking’s 48-Hour Halloween Film Festival is back

10/25/2018 10:39:58 AM

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STEPHENVILLE, NL – Halloween is just around the corner and while everyone is thinking about what frightening costumes to wear, College of the North Atlantic’s (CNA) Digital Filmmaking program wants you to take that chilling creativity and accept its 48-Hour Halloween Film Festival challenge.

Beginning this Friday, October 26, a provincial challenge will be issued for participants to create short Halloween films over a 48-hour period. This timed filmmaking competition dares individuals and teams to showcase their spooky story idea, shoot the film, and edit the footage into a short horror film.

“With no experience required, this challenge welcomes anybody who is interested in filmmaking and the process of filmmaking,” said Peter Buckle, an instructor of the program. “While every other major holiday involves reverence, reflection and good cheer, many see Halloween as an opportunity to let loose, telling spooky stories and being able to dress up and be someone else for a day. It really gets everyone in the spirit.”

Buckle says they wanted to do something that would encourage the Halloween spirit, so they conjured up the Halloween Film Festival as a way for people to express themselves creatively.

“Last year was the first year of the challenge and it was a great success. The reason why we chose Halloween was it is a fun time of the year to make movies and we had some amazing entries. With this being the second year, we hope to encourage some more people to make films and go bigger and better.”

To add a combination of mystery and creativity, teams will be given clues that must be used in the final version of the film. These clues could be anything from lines of dialogue, props, costumes, themes, etc.

Devilish differences
This year’s challenge will open in a different manner than last year.

On Friday, Oct. 26 at 6 p.m., participants must tune in online via Facebook (www.facebook.com/CNAfilm), where the opening ceremony will be live-streamed. It is there that Buckle and fellow instructor, Keith Bonnell, will explain how film enthusiasts can tell their hair-raising stories.

“What’s great about this challenge is we encourage people to use any equipment they have to make their films,” said Buckle. “It’s not just about creating the most professional-looking film. We have awards to hand out for 12 categories.”
All films must be submitted via YouTube by Monday, Oct. 29 at 6:30 p.m. They will then be reviewed by a third-party panel comprised of CNA staff. The screening of the final cuts, as well as the announcement of winners, will be shown during the 48-Hour Halloween Film Festival screening via Facebook live-stream that evening, which begins at 7 p.m.

To register, simply fill out and submit the application form by Friday, Oct. 26 at 5 p.m. For the registration form, or for more information on the rules and prizes available to be won, visit www.cna.nl.ca/halloween.